Some people swear by using tea bags to feed their orchids. Tea bags can provide orchid plants with nutrients, including nitrogen and potassium which are key to plant growth. However, tea bags will also contain chemicals such as caffeine which can limit nutrient absorption and even damage the plant. Growers in frost-free areas with cooler summer nights below 60 F in August and after can grow cymbidiums, one of the finest of all garden orchids. Calcium and magnesium are micronutrients that your orchid needs. Orchids use calcium to build cell walls and other structures while magnesium is used to produce chlorophyll for metabolic processes. If the flower stem is green and healthy (as it will be on a Phalaenopsis orchid), you can trim it above a node close to the base, or prune it about an inch above the node beneath the lowest flower. How do I encourage my orchid to grow a new stem?

Do you love growing orchids, but worry about how to take care of them? You’re not alone! These orchid care tips will walk you through five key areas so you can keep your plants in tip-top condition and enjoy beautiful blooms year after year.

You may also like…

Actually, the ideal composition varies from genus to genus but you can’t go wrong with a basic mix of 3 parts fir bark, 2 parts perlite and 1 part sphagnum moss. Feeding Your Orchid Similar to tea, brewed coffee is a source of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous, so it can be used to feed orchid plants, but it also contains caffeine. Orchid care tips after flowering One popular approach that avoids overwatering is watering orchids with ice cubes. This involves simply adding an ice cube to the plant pot without touching the stem or leaves, and leaving it to melt. As the ice cube melts it will deliver a steady supply of water that the roots can absorb. Do I water an orchid from the top or bottom? As mentioned above, orchids enjoy a humid environment, and you can create this indoors by using a mister spray. Where winters are cold, orchids can be grown on the patio or under trees in the warmer months when frost does not threaten.

I do this to clean up on any pollutants or build-up from fertilizer salts in my plants and potting media. 10. Water first before fertilizing You can expect to see signs of a new spike growing within two to three months. How long do indoor potted orchids last?

Vitax Orchid Drip Feed 10 x 30 ml

As with pretty much any indoor plant, orchids will benefit from good air quality and a healthy air flow. The exception to this rule is Dendrobium orchids. Snipping off spent flowers will encourage more buds to form. If you decide to use tea bags as orchid food, use cooled, brewed water as opposed to actual tea leaves. Does coffee water help orchids? Yes. Water the plant and support with a cane if necessary. And that’s it! All the orchid care tips you need to help your plants thrive

If your orchid starts to drop flowers that are still fresh, there may be a problem such as draughty conditions, dehydration or overwatering. What do orchids look like when they go dormant?As a general rule, you should water indoor orchids every week, increasing this to twice every week in warm, dry weather. Obviously the climate where you live will be a key factor here. Therefore, twice in the off-season and twice during the blooming season, skip a scheduled feeding and, instead, drench the medium, allowing the water to flow out from the drainage holes, so as to flush out any built-up salts. Next, these unusual plants by far prefer to be rooted in poor, low-nutrient media, though at the same time, they respond wonderfully well to regular feeding!

Most orchids won’t thank you for putting them in a room that regularly experiences temperatures below 10°C. Air flow and indoor orchids So, if your orchid plant came from a garden centre or a supermarket, I’d suggest you play it safe and re-pot it in a suitable medium. Repotting Considerations This is often a wonderful solution for orchid growers in colder climates, and enables the plants to grow so much better than they would if left indoors all year. If you’re worried about poor air flow, you can use a small fan near your orchid plant. Make sure you point the fan away from the plant to avoid creating a draught. Do orchids like humidity?To repot an orchid, choose a pot that has just enough room for the roots – they like to be a little bit crowded. You can buy * orchid pots that are specifically designed for orchids. While orchids might not die from too much fertilizer, the right amount given at the right time does wonders. Regular feeding using a balanced feed or slightly higher nitrogen feed (Grow Formula) in the summer with a low Nitrogen feed (Bloom Formula) in winter will help.”